Loose-leaf binder



' July 14, 1925. 1,545,816

"cw J. DUNBAR LOQSE LEAF BINDER Filed June 9, 1919 3 m IV 1 harles r7. Firkin) Mud" Patented July 14, 1925.

{UNITED STATES PATENT, orrlcng;

CHARLES J. DUNBAR, OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T THE-WILLIAM .C.

"WINDISGH COMPANY, OF DETROIT,

MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

V LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

A Application filed June 9,

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES J. DUNBAB,

a citizen of the United States of America,

residing at Kalamazoo, in the county of Kalamazoo and State of'Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. The invention relates to leaf binders of that type in which the'apertured leaves are engaged with posts on one cover section of the binder and are clamped by a second cover section engageable with said posts and locked thereto. More particularly, the invention relates to constructions in which the locking of the clamping section with the posts is effected through the medium of a ball clutch. With such constructions the clamp is released by a lever or other actuating means which directly engages the ball and'removes the same from looking position and heretofore such releasing mechanism has been actuated by means protruding from the side of the cover. It is one of the objects of the present invention to avoid any protruding parts and to control the lock by means included within the external dimensions of the binder. It is a further object to obtain a simple easily operated mechanism as hereinafter set forth In the drawings: Figure 1 is a section through a binder to which my improvements are applied;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the locking and releasing mechanism removed from the binder cover; I

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view showing the locking and releasing mechanism slightly modified from Figure 2; y V

Figure 4 is a similar view showing another modification;

Figure 5 is a section online 5-5 of Figure 4; and y i Figure 6 is a section similar to a portion of Figure 1, showing another modification.

A is the section of the cover to which the posts 13 are attached, and C is the removable cover. The posts B may, if desired, be formed of a series of sections B, B, B etc., having threaded or other coupling engagement with each other, so that the length may be varied according to the number of leaves to be bound. D are blocks detachably secured within a hollow casing memlever I it has low casi 1919.- Serial No. 302,731..

ber E which'forms a portion of the cover section C, said blocks being apertured at F for engagement with the posts B. Gare recesses in the block at one side of the aperture F having inclined faces GT, and H are balls in said recesses forming friction clutches between the inclined faces G" and the posts B. Iis a releasing device for the ball in the form of a flat lever engaging slot in the block D and fulcrumed upon the pin J.

The free end I of this lever projects into the recess G andisbifurcated to embrace the ball H, as shown in Figure 5." l j The construction as thus far described has heretofore been 'used,'but for actuating the been customary .to provide a member protruding from theside of the -cover. This is objectionable asit interferes with the stacking of the binders andrest'ing of the same-upon the removable cover. I have therefore provided an'actuating device which is completely included within the dimensions of thebinder and which may be operated from one edge of the cover.

' As shown in Figure 2, K is a rod passing through groove L in the block D on the side thereof farthest removed from the ball H. M is a handle at the outer end of the rod K for actuating the same, and N are arms projecting from said rod into operative engagement with the levers I. As

specifically shownin Figure 2, the handle M forms a crank arm for rocking the rod K and the arms N pass through slightly enlarged apertures O in the levers I so that when the rod 'K' 's rocked inone direction, the lever will be actuated to release the ball and when rocked inthe'opposite direction will return the ball to locking position.- The handle. M, as shown in Figure 3, is arranged within the end portion of the hol- "ng E, but said casing is cut away, as indicated atP, so that the operator has access to the handle, forrocking the same. In this figure, thearm N instead of passing through an aperture in the lever I merely engages one edge of said lever for operating the same to. releasedposition while a spring locatedin an aperture in the block D will return the lever to locking positlon. The arrangement of the spring and lever is more specifically shown in Figure 5, but the actuating device for the lever is modified to operate by a longitudinal movement of the I rod K. V The rod K may bem'oved longitudinally from the positions shown respectively in full and dotted lines andd uring'" this longitudinal movement, the arm N operating with a cam face Ronthe leverI" will rock said lever to release the. ball.

With the last described modification means must be provided for limiting the longitudinal movement of the rod K which as shown consists in collars T a-nd T thereon on opposite sides 'of abearingblock U within the hollow casingf There isalso' pro' vided a resilient latching device comprising the spring V which. in one ,positionengages a notch in the rod K but from which it may disengage by a slight force exerted on the handle M. With, the construction shown in Figure 2. the rod K isheld from I longitudinal movement by having a threadand'is as follows: 7 The cover C is the upper end thereof.

ment is that the clutch when adjusted to releasing within the hollow casingE. I 1

WVith all of the various modifications described, the general operation is the same engaged with the ends of the posts and isv then pressed inward against the leaves," With the construction in Figure 2,.the handle M is then rocked and'thro'u'gh the'medium of ed engagement W with a block W: arranged the rod K and rock arms N will actuate the levers I so as to force the balls E into looking engagement with the posts. :With the constructions shown in Figures 3 and-5," the locking will be automatically effected by the operations of the springs Q. Whenever it is desired to release the clamp, the

handle M is actuated in the opposite direc? tion, which by oppositelyrocking the levers I will force the ball 11 out of locking engagement, whereupon the cover-C is released.

so that theball' may be released .fronilocking position by. a movement of the "lover I inthe same manner aspreviously described. .One important feature of my improveposition remains released and when adjusted to engaging position, will automatically engage. This is effected in the constructions shown in Figures" 2 .and

by the friction between the rod. K and its bearings,

clutch.

w aid (flaring face of said post.

, and lever for which issufi'icient to hold the same from accidental turning. With. the

construction shown in Figure4,.the friction on the rod of the resilient latch V is suflicient ,to' hold it from movement. Thus, when. the operator wishes to remove' the cover, by first operating the handle to releasing position of the clutch, he may then throw off the cover without continuing pressure on the operating handle.

While a ball clutch is shown and specifically described, it is obvious that some other form of clutch maybe used in place thereof.

hat I claim as my invention is: r

1. In a binder, the combination of a post,

a coversection having an a-pertured block engageable withsaid post, a ball in arecess insaid block having a clutching engagement with said post, a lever pivoted in said block andengageable with said ball to move the same from lockingjto releasing position, area, extending within said'cover section having an actuating handle adjacent tofone edgetof'said cover section for moving the same, and-means intermediate said rod and leverffor; actuating the latter from .the former. V g n l 2.;Ina binder,'the combination of a post,

a cover section having an apertured' block for engaging said post, a ball in-arecess in said block having clutching engagement with said post, a lever-pivoted in said block engaging saidball to move the same from locking to releasing position, a rod extending within said cover section, a handle adjacent to one edge of said cover section movable ,to rock said rod, and a rock arm projecting from said rod .into engagement with said lever, whereby. the rocking of the, rod will effect amovement of theflever' to releasethc 3. In a binder, the combination of a post, a cover sectionhavinga block --engageable with said, post, a-ball in a recess in-said block having a clutching engagement-with flarin flsection for en a ement with said O a l b v n a ball, and said block having an inclined face en a 'in the ball and atran an le to the i. In a binder, the combination of a post,

a cover section -havin'gan apertured block eiwageable with said'post, means in'a recess in-said-block having a clutch engagement with said post, a lever pivotally mounted on said block andengageable with saidv means to move-the same'from locking tov releasing position,.arod extending within sa'idcover section having an actuating handle adjacent to one edge of said cover section for moving the same,; and means intermediate said rod actuating the latter from the former.

CHARLES D'UNBAR 1 post, said post being provided with a Iii-testimony whereof I affix my signature. I 

